


Lakehouse Coffee Date

by rebelmeg



Series: Rebelmeg's Pepperony Bingo 2020 [14]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Coffee date, Domestic Bliss, F/M, FRIDAY tells all, Pepper and Phil have an epic friendship, Phil Knows Everything, Pregnancy, Stark Baby Number Two, Stark Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:08:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27721907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelmeg/pseuds/rebelmeg
Summary: Phil and Pepper have another one of their coffee dates, Pepper reflects on her life as a mom and wife, and FRIDAY isn't great at keeping secrets.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Phil Coulson & Pepper Potts
Series: Rebelmeg's Pepperony Bingo 2020 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1664317
Comments: 22
Kudos: 64
Collections: Ladies of Marvel Bingo 2020, Pepperony Bingo 2020





	Lakehouse Coffee Date

**Author's Note:**

> For my Pepperony Bingo square O1 - Phil Coulson and my LoMB square W4 - AU: Domestic
> 
> Title: Lakehouse Coffee Date  
> Collaborator: rebelmeg  
> Squares Filled: Pepperony Bingo, O1 - Phil Coulson  
> LoMB, W4 - AU: Domestic  
> Ship: Phil & Pepper, Pepperony  
> Rating: Gen  
> Major Tags: coffee dates, domestic bliss, fluff  
> Summary: Phil and Pepper have another one of their coffee dates, Pepper reflects on her life as a mom and wife, and FRIDAY isn't great at keeping secrets.  
> Word Count: 1130

The sound of Morgan giggling fit to burst, with the backdrop of her daddy giggling right along with her, drifted down the stairs. At the kitchen table, sitting across from Phil while they had one of their coffee dates, Pepper smiled.

Phil did too as he took a sip of his coffee. “That’s a good sound.”

“It’s my favorite sound in the whole world, those two laughing together.” Pepper took another chocolate croissant from the plate between them, justifying it because she was secretly eating for two, and she could only have the one cup of coffee per day, so she had to make it up somehow. 

And also because she really wanted another chocolate croissant.

“You know, when I think back to how you two were when I first met you," Phil nodded up the stairs in Tony's direction, "this is such a radical change. I never in a million years would have pictured you like this. Happier than you’ve ever been, a stay-at-home wife and mom.”

Pepper smiled a little. “I never would have either. You wanna know something funny?”

Phil took another croissant as well, tearing off a chunk and dipping it into his coffee. “Of course.”

“I never wanted kids. I wasn’t against it, I figured maybe I would someday, if it was convenient. But it wasn’t something I dreamed about.” Looking around at her house, Pepper’s eyes caught on all the things that made the space a home. Everyday things scattered around that marked it as a place that a child inhabited, little reminders of the life Pepper lived now. Morgan’s boat boots lined up by the door with hers and Tony’s. A few of her toys scattered here and there. A stack of children’s books by the couch for bedtime, her jacket tossed on the floor. Ten years ago, it never would have entered into Pepper’s mind that one day she would not only have this, but love it with every corner of her heart.

“So Tony was the one that wanted kids?” Phil asked, bringing her back to the conversation.

“Oh yes. But he didn’t bring it up, not for awhile. There was so much bad history there between him and his dad, and it was easy to deduce that he never intended to pass that on. But he’s always been so good with kids, and then becoming a mentor to Peter… it changed everything. It finally got him to open up to the possibility, and once he considered it, he discovered how badly he wanted it.”

“And he talked you into it.” 

She nodded, tapping her fingertips against her coffee mug. “It took some doing. I was worried, at first, because he was so intrinsically tied to being Iron Man. And it was a justified worry, but it was also an excuse for me to not have to consider it. I can’t tell you how many times I questioned our decision once I said yes, and even more once I got pregnant. But the look on his face when Morgan was born…” 

Pepper’s eyes went misty at the memory. “I had never seen him look like that. It was close when we got married, that expression of wonder and happiness. But when he first held Morgan, it was like seeing something otherworldly. The awe and love that just took over his whole being.” Shaking her head, Pepper smiled as she blinked away a tear. “I’ve never regretted it. Not once, no matter how hard it can be sometimes, being a mom. Tony loves being a father so much that it completely overshadows the fear and the worry.”

Phil gave her hand a squeeze, smiling at her. “I’m so glad it turned out this way for you. Unexpected, but so good.”

Under the table, Pepper put her hand on her lower belly, over the spot where a new life was growing, too small to show yet. “I agree.”

With a thundering on the stairs, Morgan and Tony came streaking down onto the main floor, giggling again and scrambling around for jackets and shoes.

“What are you two hooligans up to?” Pepper turned in her chair to watch them.

“We’re gonna get special dessert for after dinner!” Morgan told her, putting her shoes on the wrong feet. She was getting better at it, but at six years old she was still young enough to struggle from time to time.

“And possibly buy special dinner too, because I just remembered it’s my turn to cook tonight. You gonna stay for dinner, Agent?” Tony grabbed his wallet and keys, then crossed the room to his wife. He kissed her quick, just a peck, but there was a soft light in his eyes that Pepper recognized when he pulled back, lingering just long enough for her to see it. She had told him about the baby last night, and he had been over the moon ever since. He hadn’t stopped smiling, not even when he’d been asleep. Pepper had asked FRIDAY to take a few pictures, because it was just that sweet.

Phil shook his head, but smiled. “I’ll pass on dinner, I’ve got to be getting back before then. But thanks.”

“No problem.” Tony gave Pepper another kiss. “We’ll be back, I love you.”

“Love you too.”

She shook her head as she watched them leave, shouting to each other about what to pick up for dinner that would be best with dessert as they ran for the car.

The two friends at the table fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments as Tony and Morgan drove away, then Phil asked casually, “So, you’re pregnant again?”

Pepper's mug clunked down on the table as she stared at Phil, slack-jawed with surprise. She hadn’t even found out for sure herself until two days ago. “How could you possibly have guessed that?!”

He just smiled blandly in that way he had, taking another sip of coffee. “I have my sources.”

“Phillip J. Coulson, you and I both know that _you_ are your own best source. Fess up.”

His smile widened slightly, going distinctly mischievous. “FRIDAY told me.”

Pepper gaped a little, then looked at one of the AI’s disguised cameras. “FRIDAY!”

“It’s not my fault, girl boss.” FRIDAY protested. “He complimented my code. How is a girl supposed to handle such flattery? And to be fair, nobody said it was a secret.”

“It is now,” Pepper muttered into her coffee as Phil chuckled, “or you’ll tell everybody.”

The AI didn’t sound the slightest bit put off. “There’s a new little Stark comin’ into the world. I’m quite excited about it.”

Pepper couldn't quite hide her smile as Phil pushed the plate of croissants toward her, encouraging her to take another one. “Me too, FRIDAY. Me too.”


End file.
